Setting apparatus for well tools



Jan. 21, 969 M. B. coNRAb 3,422,898

SETTING APPARATUS FOR WELL TOOLS Filed Aug. 17, 1967 Sheet 0f 2 35 37 43 40 35 i? 4Z -32 /Waf ///7 (27a/ad /5 [Nl/EN TOR n ATTORNEY M. B. CONRAD SETTING APPARATUS FOR WELL TOOLS `lan. 21, 1969 2 vof 2 Sheei'l Filed Aug. 17. 1967 /Waf f/ .5. Con/ad ATT/CP/VEV United States Patent O 1967, Ser. No. 661,422

Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The particular embodiment described herein as illustrative of one form of the invention in mechanical setting ltools for setting well tools in well bores includes an inner member having a full open bore, and an outer member which can be selectively anchored in a well bore against upward movement. The inner member is releasably coupled to the well tool to be set by a coupling mechanism which can be conditioned for release by upwarfd force applied to the inner member to set the well ltool. After setting, the coupling mechanism and the anchored condition of the outer member can be released by simple downward and upward motion of the inner member. The setting tool can be utilized to further apply setting force to the well tool by downward movement of the inner member into engagement with the well tool.

Background of the invention The present invention relates generally to well equipment and more particularly to new and improved apparatus for setting well tools in well bores.

Prior setting tools for use in setting well tools such as bridge plugs, packers, or the like, have utilized mechanisms lwhich apply oppositely directed forces to such well tools. Suclh forces are usually generated by applying tension to a tubing string, rotating the tubing string, or initiating an explosvie charge within the setting tool. The most common problems with any such devices are the positive setting of the well tool and a positive release of the setting tool from the well tool after setting has been accomplished. In addition, the setting of a well tool by tension applied to a tubing string incurs the factor of tubing strength which may permit only a limited tension to be applied to the tubing string. Moreover, many prior setting tools have not been provided with a central passage which is large enough to permit the running of perforation `guns or the like without first withdrawing such setting tools from the lwell.

Summary of the invention [It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a new and improved setting tool which overcomes the problems set forth setting of well tools in well bores. Another objective of this invention is the provision of a new and improved setting apparatus including a coupling mechanism which enables positive release of the setting apparatus from the well tool after the tool is set, such coupling mechanism being remotely operated in a convenient manner. Yet another objective is the provision of a new and improved mechanical setting tool apparatus lwhich can be used to apply thigh setting loads to a well tool without the danger of exceeding the allowable strain strength of the running-in string. Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved mechanical type setting tool which is :conveniently :arranged to have a full opening bore therethrough for the passage of other well instruments into the well bore without having to iirst remove the setting tool from tihe well.

These a-nd other objectives may be attained in accordabove, and which enables positive ice ance with the -concepts of the present invention by providing a well apparatus which includes tubular telescoping members, the outer member being arranged to be selectively anchored against upward movement in a well bore, ithe inner member being suspended on a running-in string extending to the top of a well bore and releasably coupled to the well tool to be set. When the outer member is selectively anchored, force is applied to the inner member by the running-in string to set the well tool. A coupling meclhanism between the inner member an'd the Well tool is conditioned for release by this force, and can then be selectively released in response to a pair of Vertical motions applied to the running-in string, one of such vertical motions also releasing the anchored condition of the outer member. When the setting tool is released, the inner memlber has a full open bore for the passage of wireline instruments and tools, and can be further utilized in a convenient manner to iapply further setting force to the well tool.

The novel features of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention both as to its structural organization and manner of operation, together with further advantages thereof, may best 'be understood by way of illustration and example of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings,

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 illustrates, in partial longitudinal cross section, details of the setting tool, embodying principles of the present invention, and a :well tool connected thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a more detailed view, in partial longitudinal cross section, of la lower portion of the setting tool and release mechanism in a running-in condition;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View, in longitudinal section, of the lower portion of the setting tool and release mechanisms as the well tool is Ibeing set; and,

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIIGURE 3 of the lower portion of the setting tool and release mechanism after release from the well tool and during a secondary setting operation.

Description of a preferred embodiment Referring initially to FIGURE 1, a setting apparatus generally indicated by the reference numeral 13 is suspended in a well bore on a running-in string 14 of tubing or drill pipe and is shown releasably coupled at its lower end to a well tool 15 such as a bridge plug or the like. The tool 15 includes an elongated cylindrical mandrel or body ,-16 which can have a blind bore 21 and an enlarged guide member 17 at its lower end which supports lower slips 26. A lower expander cone 28 is arranged to shift the lower slips 26 outwardly and an elastomeric packing element 32 surrounds the mandrel 16 between the lower expander cone and an upper expander cone 33. Upper slips 34 are arranged about the mandrel 16 and have inner inclined surfaces 36 which can engage the upper expander cone 33 in a manner whereby the cone can shift the upper slips outwardly. In like manner, the lower slips 26 have inner inclined surfaces 27 which engage companion outer surfaces 29 on the lower expander cone 28. The upper and lower slips 34 and 26 have wickets or teeth on their outer peripheries which are respectively formed to face upwardly and downwardly and which are respectively adapted to anchor against upward and downward movement when shifted outwardly into gripping engagement with the surrounding wall surface of casing P.

A setting head 38 is slidably mounted around the upper end portion of the mandrel 16 and is arranged to engage the upper slip members 34 as the mandrel moves upwardly therethrough. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 2, the head 38 has an internal annular recess 39 which contains a conventional ratchet lock ring 40. The lock ring 40 can be radially split so as to be expansible and contractible and has outer upwardly facing ratchet teeth 41 which are cooperable with downwardly facing companion teeth 42 within the recess in the setting head 38. Moreover, the ring 40 has inner upwardly facing teeth 43 which can engage companion downwardly facing teeth 44 on the mandrel 16. The ring 40` has suicient lateral play between the setting head 38 and t-he mandrel 16 to ratchet downwardly over the mandrel 16 but cannot move upwardly on the mandrel. Accordingly, the ring 40 can function to lock the slips 34 and 26 in expanded condition as well as to trap compression loading in the packing element 32 when the well tool '15 is set. The mandrel 16 is coupled by means of a selectively operable release mechanism 45 to the setting tool in accordance with principles of the present invention. This release mechanism will be described in greater detail below with reference to FIG- URES 2, 3 and 4.

The setting tool 13 is comprised of a central operating mandrel 46 which is connected at its upper end to the pipe string 14 for lowering the apparatus into the well bore. The central opening 47 of the mandrel 46 is sized to continue the full bore size of the string 14. The setting tool further includes an upper drag block and slip assembly 48 which is slidably mounted about the upper end of operating mandrel 46. A J-slot 49 and J-pin 50 are utilized to control relative movement between the assembly 48 and the mandrel 46. Below the assembly 48 is an expander cone 51 which is mounted on a support sleeve 52 which is, in turn, threadedly connected to a setting sleeve 53 extending downwardly into engagement with the setting head 38. The expander cone 51 moves with the mandrel 46 to activate slips 53 on the assembly 48 whereupon the cone is slidably relative to the mandrel 46 to apply the holding force of the slips 53 to the setting head 38 via the support sleeve 52 and the setting sleeve 53. Suitable openings 54 in the setting sleeve and ports 55 in the mandrel can provide for fluid communication between the interior of the mandrel and the exterior of the tool string.

The assembly 48 includes a tubular cage 56 slidably received on the mandrel 46. A stop collar 57 can be appropriately connected to the mandrel 46 to limit upward movement of the cage. The cage has a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, longitudinally-extending recesses 58, each of which receives a typical friction drag block 59. Between each drag block and the cage is a coil spring 60 to urge the drag blocks radially outwardly into frictional engagement with the casing P. Each drag block also has end portions or flanges 61 (only one end shown) to limit outward movement of the blocks relative to the cage 56.

Operatively associated with each drag block 59 is a slip element 53 which has a head 63 and a stem 64, To accommodate a respective slip element, each drag block 59 can have a slot in which a stem is received. Pins 66 pivotally connect respective stems of each slip element to the drag blocks 59. Each slip head 63 has external wickers or teeth which are formed to face upwardly, and an inner inclined surface 67 which is companion in shape to external inclined surface 74 on the expander cone 51. Springs 69 are inserted into each recess 57 to urge tangs 68 on the ends of each stem outwardly. Thus, the slip heads 63 are pivoted inwardly toward the mandrel 46 when the various parts of the setting mechanism 13 are in relative positions for longitudinal shifting in the well bore.

The J-pin and slot arrangement is conventional and is described fully in application Ser. No. 419,742 by Maurice P. Lebourg, tiled Dec. 2l, 1964, and now Patent No. 3,352,362. When the various parts of the assembly 48 are in the relative positions shown in FIGURE l and 2, that is, in positions for being run into a well, the lug 50 is disposed at a point in the upper end of a short vertically extending portion (not shown) of the l-slot 49. The resistance caused by frictional engagement of the drag blocks 59 with the casing P allows the setting tool mandrel 46 to be manipulated relative to the assembly 48 by the pipe string 14. A transverse portion of the J-slot connects the short vertical portion of the slot to permit movement of the lug to a long vertical portion of the slot by rotation of the mandrel accompanied by vertical movement of the mandrel. When the lug is disposed in the long vertical portion of the J-slot 49, the mandrel 46 can be elevated relative to the assembly 48 to bring the expander cone 51 within the slip elements 53 to shift them outwardly into gripping engagement with the casing P. When the slips 53 thus grip the casing, the setting sleeve 53, setting head 38 and upper well tool slips 34 cannot move any further upwardly, and this coaction of parts permits setting the well tool 15 as will be more fully described hereafter.

Below the J-slot 49 in the mandrel 46 is a downwardly facing shoulder or stop 71. Spaced downwardly from this shoulder 71 is a rectangularly shaped split ring 72 which is received in an appropriate groove in the mandrel 46. Slidably mounted on the mandrel 46 between stop 71 and ring member 72 is an annular support ring 73. The support ring 73 is co-extensive with and supports the expander cone 51 in its expanded condition. As further described in detail in the aforementioned application Serial No. 419,742, the cone 51 can have sets of alternating longitudinal slots 76 cut therein to render the cone readily expansible and contractable. The support ring 73 can have stepped portions which engage complementarily stepped portions within the bore of the expander cone 51. Hence, when the ring 73 is inserted in the cone 51, the cone is expanded radially outwardly. However, when the support ring 73 is moved sufficiently upwardly relative to the expander cone 51, the ring no longer supports the cone and permits it to move radially inwardly to contracted condition whereupon the outward force on the slips 53 is released and the slips can release from gripping engagement with the well casing P.

The selectively releasable connecting mechanism 45 in accordance with the present invention is shown in greater detail in FIGURE 2. An annular recess 81 is formed in the lower end portion of the mandrel 46. An annular groove 83 is provided at the lower end of the recess 81 to form an enlargement of the recess. A support ring `84 is initially located in an upper position within the recess and is releasably retained in its upper position by one or more shear pins 86 which can extend through the mandrel wall and into the ring. The support ring 84 has a radially cut slot (not shown) through its Wall to enable the ring to occupy a contracted diameter as shown in FIGURE 2. In this condition, an outwardly extending lock flange 87 at its lower end of the ring engages the wall of the recess 81 above the groove 83. Also, the ring `84 is provided with an internal annular notch 88 around its upper end portion. A companion notch 89 can be formed at the upper end of the recess 81 so that the notches together form an internal annular groove.

An external annular groove 92 is formed in the well tool mandrel 16 near its upper end. A split lock ring 91 is arranged to engage within the groove 92 and within the groove provided by the support ring and mandrel notches 88 and 89. The ring 91 is also initially contracted within the groove 92 and is retained therein by the inwardly facing ann-ular surfaces 93 and 94 (FIGURE 3) of the respective support ring and mandrel notches 88 and 89. With the lock ring 91 thus engaged as shown in FIGURE 2, the well tool mandrel 16 and the setting tool mandrel 46 are quite rigidly coupled to one another so that the well tool can be lowered to setting depth. However, when a predetermined magnitude of upwardly directed setting force is applied, the shear pin 86 will rupture. When this occurs, the support ring 84 will move to a lower position within the recess 81 until the lock iiange 87 is adjacent to the recess groove support ring 84 will resile outwardly and the ilange will engage within the groove 83. Also, the mandrel notch 89 will be moved upwardly away from its retaining relationship to the lock ring 91. However, the support ring notch surface 93, although having moved outwardly to some extent, will still maintain the lock ring in engaged relationship within the mandrel groove 92 to prevent separation of the setting tool mandrel and the well tool body as shown in FIGURE 3. In this position of parts, further upward setting force can be applied sufficient to fully set the well tool.

To release the coupling mechanism 45, the setting tool mandrel 46 is lowered downwardly as shown in FIG- UR-E 4. 'Ihe engagement of the lock flange 87 within the groove `83 will prevent upward movement of the support ring 84 within the recess 81. Accordingly, the support ring 84 will move downwardly with the setting tool mandrel 46 to disengage the retaining surface 93 thereon from the lock ring 91. When the retaining surface 93 disengages, the lock ring 91 can resile outwardly to its fullest extent and into the space 95 between the support ring 84 and the upper end of the recess 81. Now the lock ring 91 is completely disengaged from the well tool mandrel 16 to permit unrestricted relative movement between the setting tool mandrel 46 and the well tool mandrel `16.

83, whereupon the Operation of the preferred embodiment In the operation of the above-mentioned apparatus, the setting tool 13 and attached well tool 15 are run into the well bore as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 until the tool is positioned in the well at the point where it is to be set. At this point, the operator picks up on the running-in string 14 while torquing in a right-hand direction to align the J-pin 50 with the long portion of the J-slot 48. It may be readily appreciated that the direction of torquing is a function of the J-slot arrangement and such an arrangement may be provided to permit operation by torquing in either hand direction. The setting tool mandrel 46 is moved upwardly relative to the drag block assembly 48 which is frictionally held by the drag blocks 59 relative to the casing. Such upward movement of the mandrel 46 and the attached well tool 15 causes the expander cone 51 on the setting tool 13 to move upwardly relative to lthe slip and drag block assembly 48. The inclined surface 74 on cone 51 will engage the complementary inner surfaces 67 on the slips 53 so as to pivot the slips outwardly into gripping engagement with the well casing. When the upwardly holding teeth on the slips 53 grip the casing, further upward movement of the expander cone 51, the setting sleeve 53 and the setting head 38 is not possible. Thereafter, upward travel of the setting tool mandrel 46 will elevate the well tool mandrel 16 relative to the setting head 3S and cause expansion of the well tool slips 34 and 26 over their respective expanders 33 and 218 as well as compression and expansion of the packing element 32. As the mandrel 16 moves upwardly,

the ratchet ring `4l) will ratchet downward along the mandrel teeth 44 and the ring 40 will trap the mandrel 16 in the highest position to which it is moved to lock the well tool 15 in set condition.

Preferably, the shear pin 86 is designed to rupture at a smaller magnitude of force than that required to set the well tool 15. Thus, when the pin 86 fails as sho-wn in FIGURE 3, the tension loading on the setting tool mandrel 46 is :applied to the well tool mandrel 16 through the support ring 84 and the lock ring 91. When `a sufcient upward strain has been taken on the lrunning-in string 14 to firmly set the well tool slips and packing, the coupling mechanism 45 can be released by merely slacking off on the string 14 to move the setting tool mandrel 46 downwardly- As previously described, the support ring 84 is retained in its lower position within the recess 81 by the lock flange 87. Therefore, as the support ring 84 moves downwardly relative to the mandrel 16, the lock ring 91 can resile outwardly to its unstressed diameter into the annular space above the support ring. At this diameter, the lock ring 91 is sized to readily pass over the well tool mandrel 16 and will not re-engage within the groove 92.

If it is desired to apply further setting force to the well tool 15, this can Ibe accomplished las shown in FIGURE 4 by lowering the setting tool mandrel 46 until its lower end surface engages the setting head 38. Then the weight of the running-in string 14 can be slacked off onto the setting head 38 to force it further downwardly along the mandrel 16. This procedure will serve to set the slips 34 and the packing element 32 even more tightly in the well bore to ensure an effective pack-off therein. In instances where the depth of the well and design of the tubing string prevent or limit the amount of tension that can safely be applied to the bridge plug -for the setting operation, such use of the weight of the tubing string further accomplish the setting operation can be a desirable rfeature.

Inasmuch as the coupling mechanism 45 has now been released, thereby releasing the setting tool mandrel 46 from the well tool 15, the setting tool 13 may now be released from the casing in the following manner. Upward movement of the tubing string 14 will elevate the setting tool mandrel 46 to a position placing the release snap ring 72 in contact with a lower surface of support ring 73. Further upward movement of the mandrel 46 forces the support ring 73 from beneath the expander cone 51 to permit the cone to collapse inwardly. The radial inward movement of the cone removes the supporting surface 74 from beneath the slips 63, thereby permitting the slips to pivot inwardly and out of gripping engagement with the well casing P. As the mandrel 46 continues its upward trav-el, the upper end of the support ring 73 will engage the lower end of the drag block and slip assembly 48 to space the slips 63 away from the cone 51. Accordingly, the setting tool 13 can be retrieved from the Well bore. The setting tool mandrel 46 has va full opening bore whereby a perforating gun or the like can be Ireadily passed therethrough.

A new and improved mechanical setting tool has been disclosed for use in setting well tools such as bridge plugs or the like. The setting tool is operable by simple surface manipulation of the running-in string and has a desirable full open bore ltherethrough when released from the well tool, The setting tool includes a coupling mechanism which enables the provison of such full bore, and which is simple and foolproof in operation and extremely sturdy. Moreover, the setting tool is arranged whereby additional setting force can be applied to the well tool after the setting tool is released therefrom in a convenient manner.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it is apparent that changes and modications may be made without departing from the broader concepts of this invention and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a setting tool for use with a well tool in a well bore and including an apparatus having first and second `members adapted for applying oppositely directed forces to inner and outer members of the 'well tool, the combination comprising: releasable means for connecting one of the members to said inner member; means for lanchoring the other member against movement in the well bore, said other member being engageable with said outer member; and means for enabling release of said releasable means in response to upward and downward motion of said one member to permit engagement of said one member with said outer member and lapplication of downward force thereto.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said releasable means includes laterally movable means coacting between Ian external portion of said inner member and an internal portion of said one member.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said releasable means further includes a longitudinally movable element in said internal portion capable of engaging s-aid laterally 'mova-ble means to prevent lateral movement thereof, and force responsive means for coupling said element to Said one member.

4. In a setting apparatus for a well tool having inner and outer members, the combination comprising: a first member adapted to Ibe connected to said inner member to apply setting force thereto in one longitudinal direction; a second member arranged to engage said outer member to apply setting force thereto in the opposite longitudinal direction; means for anchoring said second member in a well bore to resist movement in said one direction while said first member is moved longitudinally in s-aid one direction to effect application of said setting force to said well Atool members, said first member having a portion adapted to engage said outer member when said first member is moved in said opposite direction; means for releasably connecting said first member to said inner member; and means for releasing said releasable means to permit movement of said first member in `said opposite direction to engage said first member with said outer member and thus apply further setting force to said outer member in said opposite direction.

5. A setting apparatus for use in Setting a well tool in a Well bore, said well tool having first and second members arranged to be moved in opposite longitudinal directions relative to one another in order to set the well tool,

comprising: an inner member having an open bore :and adapted for connection to a running-in string extending It0 the top of a well bore; an outer member -mounted on said inner member and engaging one of said well tool members; means for selectively anchoring said outer member against movement in one longitudinal direction in a well bore in response to manipulation of said inner member by the running-in string, said inner member being thereafter movable Iby the running-in string in said one direction; and means for releasably coupling said inner member to the other of said well tool members, said coupling means including latch means between said inner member and said other well tool member and engaging said other well tool member; means for holding said latch means engaged with said other well tool member; and force responsive means 4for rendering said holding means inoperative, thereby conditioning said latching means for release from said other well tool member in response to downward motion of the running-in string.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,566,323 9/1951 Forsyth et al. 166-123 3,024,845 3/ 1962 Conrad 166-123 3,091,293 5/1963 Fry 166-123 3,294,171 12/1966 Kelley 166-123 X 3,360,049 12/1967 Kisling 166--123 DAVID H. BROWN, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 166-237 

